Card index



Dec. 25, 1923. 11,478,762 R. c. RUSSELL CARD INDEX Fi'led Feb. 10, 19212 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,478,762 R..c. RUSSELL CARD INDEX Dec. 25, 1923.

Filed Feb. 10. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet Z Patented Dec- 25, 1921;.

ROBERT C. RUSSELL, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARD INDEX.

Application filed February 10, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. RUssELL, a citizen of the United-States,and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card Indexes; and Ido hereby declare the following to, be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention'relates to improvements in card indexes, objects of theinvention being to facilitate the firm securin'g of the cards in thedrawer or holder and yet permit the ready removal or insertion of cards;to avoid necessity for the use of tabs on the, cards or speciallyconstructed guide-cards, but to utilize certain of the cards of theindex as guide-cards; to provide means which will operate tohold suchselected'cards as guidecards, in proper oflsetpositions; to so constructthe'fillers as to facilitate the insertion of index cardswi'thout undueconflict with said fillers, and to providemeans whereby the series ofcafdswill be prevented from buckling when tightly clamped together.

Withthese and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts as herelnafterset forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying-"drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cardindex embodymg my invention. Figure 1 is a plan Figure 2 1s a viewomitting the cards.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view; v view of one of the indexcards. Figure 4 is a view of one of the fillers. Figure 5 is a view ofone of the anchor plates or fillers. Figure 6 is a detail view of aportion of one form of filler, and Figure 7 includes fsiilrlnilardetails of two modified forms of the 1 represents a holder for the cardsof a card index and, in the present instance is shown in the form of adrawer or slide. The drawer is provided in its bottom and centrallybetween its sides with a longitudinal slot or opening 2, at respectivesides of which metal plates 3-3 are secured and these plates i overliethe side portions of said slot or openmg. At one si e of one of theplates 3, a strip 4 (preferably of metal) is secured to the bottom ofthe drawer and is provided at one edge with an upwardly projectingflange of Allegheny d Serial No. 443,852.

5,said strip being so located that its flange 5 W111 be disposed anappreciable distance from theleft hand side of the drawer. The rawer mayalso'be provided near its side edges with strips 6 secured to the bottomof said drawer'to of the index.

The cards 7 have the names of persons indicated thereon near their upperleft hand corners and these cards will be so arranged that the names.will be properly grouped. Each card is provided in its lower edgebetween its center and one end with a slot 8. One card of each group maybe utilized for assist in supporting cards 7 a guide-card for the groupby moving it lat- A erally so that its slotted portion will engage overthe flan e 5 and be held thereby in such lateral or 0 set position,while the other cards of the group Will lie between the right hand sideof the drawer and said flange. It will be seen from this arrangementthat the flange 5 constitutes locking means for the offset orguide-cards of the index and also an abutment for other cards of theseveral.

groups. In this way the provision of'tabs on the cards or speciallybonstructed guidecards will be avoided. Fillers 9 are provided forproperly spacing the various cards and groups of cards of the index andare provided with notches 10 to engage the "flange 5 and also withdepending portions 11 forming a slot 12 between them,-said dependingportions enteringthe slot or opening 2 in the bottom of the drawer andthe slots 12 permitting the passage of a clamping rod hereinafterdescribed. Each filler is provided with a beveled upper edge which maybeformed with two faces extending upwardly and inwardly from therespective faces of the filler, as indicated at 13, Figure 6, or saidbeveled edge may extend from one face to the other of the filler, asindicated at 14, Figure 7, or the upper edge of the'filler may berounded as shown at 15, Figure 7. .By thus constructing the fillers, theinsertion of the index cards will be facilitated and conflict with saidfillers when the index cards are being inserted will be avoided, as aportion of the upper edge of each filler will be separated from itsneighbor.

A rod 16 extends through the slot or opening 2 in the bottom of thedrawer and is mounted to turn freely in suitable bearings at respectiveends of said drawer,one end of said rod being provided at the front endof the drawer with a knob 17 to facilitate its manipulation. The rod 16is-threaded as at 18 and 19,-0ne of said threaded portions having aright hand thread and the other a left hand thread. Clamping bars 2021are disposed transversely within the drawer and provided with dependingpor tions 22 to enter the slot or opening 2 and these depending portionsare provided at respective ends with lugs 23 which underlie the metalplates 3 3 and are guided by the latter. The clamping bars are providedwith suitable openings in which internally threaded sleeves 24 aresecured and through these sleeves the threaded portions of the rod 16pass. It will be observed that when the rod 16 is turned the clampingbars will move in directions toward each other and the index cards andfillers will be firmly clamped together.

At suitable intervals throughout the series of cards, metal anchorplates or fillers 25 are located. Each of these anchor members mayconsist of a strip of sheet metal having depending portions 26 with anopening 27 between them for the accommodation of the rod 16 and saiddepending portions are provided with lateral lugs 28 to underlie theinner edge portions of the plates 3. When the cards and fillers of theindex are clamped, those which lie adjacent o the anchor members willhave frictional connection with the latter and said anchor members beingconnected with the plates 3, as above explained, the plurality of cardsand fillers will be prevented from buckling while being clamped.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a card index, the combination with a holder and a pluralityofindex cards therein, of a flange or rib extending longi ally disposed oroffset and engaging said rib or flange and the other cards of theseveral groups being disposed between said rib or flange and theopposite side of the holder.

2. In a card index, the combination with a holder, index cards therein,and means for holding said index cards in place, of fillers for spacingthe index cards, each of said fillers having its upper edge formed toprovide entering spaces between said fillers.

3. In a card index, the combination with a holder, a plurality of indexcards therein and means for holding said cards in place, of fillers forspacing the cards, each of said fillers having a beveled upper edge.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT c1 RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

JAMES P. RUSSELL, BELLE WILHELM,

